Best Nature & Wildlife Podcasts (2026)
There is something grounding about listening to people who spend their lives studying the natural world. These 8 podcasts cover everything from deep ocean creatures to backyard birds, hosted by scientists and naturalists who genuinely love what they do.
Waking up with a podcast on iOS
Podcast Alarm is a fully featured podcast player and alarm. You can set up queues of your favourite episodes and listen to them whenever you like. Why not subscribe to your favourite podcast and have the latest episode wake you up every weekday morning. There are lots of screenshots and videos in our "How to set a podcast as an alarm on iphone?" blog post.
1. Ologies with Alie Ward
Alie Ward interviews experts in every "-ology" you can imagine — from mycology to volcanology to lepidopterology. Her enthusiasm is infectious and she asks the questions a curious non-expert would ask. Easily one of the best science podcasts running.
2. Nature Podcast
The official podcast from the journal Nature covers the biggest science stories each week, with a strong focus on ecology, climate and biodiversity research. The reporting is rigorous but accessible. If you want to stay current on environmental science, this is essential.
3. BBC Earth Podcast
The BBC's natural history unit brings their trademark production quality to podcast form. Episodes explore animal behaviour, ecosystems and conservation with the kind of storytelling you would expect from the people behind Planet Earth. Beautiful listening.
4. In Defense of Plants
Matt Candeias is a botanist who makes plant science genuinely exciting. He interviews researchers about everything from carnivorous plants to ancient forests. If you have ever wondered why plants do what they do, this podcast will change how you see every walk outside.
5. Wild Ideas Worth Living
Produced by REI, this show interviews adventurers, conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts about living a life connected to nature. Episodes cover everything from thru-hiking to ocean conservation to rewilding projects. It will make you want to step outside immediately.
6. Bring Birds Back
From the team behind BirdNote, this show explores what it takes to reverse declining bird populations. Each episode pairs real birdsong recordings with conversations about habitat, migration and conservation. Surprisingly gripping for a show about saving sparrows.
7. Unexplainable
Vox's science podcast focuses on the questions researchers cannot yet answer — why do animals migrate the way they do, what is consciousness, how did life begin. The nature episodes are standouts, covering deep-sea mysteries and ecological puzzles with real wonder.
8. The Life Scientific
Jim Al-Khalili interviews leading scientists about their life and work on BBC Radio 4. The nature and biology episodes are outstanding — hearing a marine biologist or ecologist talk about decades of fieldwork is endlessly fascinating. The long-form interview format lets the stories breathe.
Start Your Morning with a Great Podcast
Set any of these podcasts as your alarm with Podcast Alarm and wake up to something worth listening to.
Waking up with a podcast on iOS
Podcast Alarm is a fully featured podcast player and alarm. You can set up queues of your favourite episodes and listen to them whenever you like. Why not subscribe to your favourite podcast and have the latest episode wake you up every weekday morning. There are lots of screenshots and videos in our "How to set a podcast as an alarm on iphone?" blog post.
